Knitting machines and methods



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KNITTING MACHINES 4AND METHODS OIivgnal Filed July l2. 1952. 1l Sheets-Sheet 1]. FW' i: um :www2/f 2212/6/22 2f' 46 l w L i/ff @4Z "d invention vrelates tot knittingmechanisnrs' knit.

Stats arent lof Fig. 5;

ting methods, and to correlated improvementsanddisl.

`Acrc'iv'eries appertaining thereto. Y l, n

` If. This Vapplication is a kdivisionofi my copending applicati'on Serial No. 298,565 tiled July 12,1952,` now`.Patent lNo. 2,774,233.

ff Terry lcloth fabrics have a wide field of usefulness in- Y* .,cluding'situations where the terry. loops` serve asfloose ,pilings, where they are brushed to provide relatively smooth heavy surfacing, where they are utilized to seal protect the base fabric, and` where they are sed'to ,providerdesign effects. v practical art are many and varied, and the typeslof terry fclothfheretofore provided have 'failed in manyinsta'ncfes Vto meet these demands. y f 'l I have found that such fabric can be effectively 'formed However, the demands of: .the

1.,by knitting mechanism includingl certain of various novel j p assernbliesand elementsl Among these aremeairs ar- .ranged to feed. and manipulatey yarn"atfvariousflevels `.means to maintain at` a particular level'certain vofthe Vfabric which lies over the sinkers, means4 to manipulate v the operation;

the needles and/or the sinkers in certain orders and/or l vin certain manners, and means to draw out terry loops in various directions and sequences. A

. In the formation of terry cloth, and for other purposes, it is desirable that knitting elements, i.e., needles, sinkers,

- or jacks,be. operated by ,pattern wheels.

terry cloth to have sinkers selectively operated. by pattern wheels whose axes are at right angles to the'direction of movement of the sinkers. and which contactuthe ter- "minal shoulders thereon, or shoulders on the butts thereof.

v I. have `found that it is particularly advantageous in theformation of` .I have found rthat in such` instances, and in the operation y of any. sliding knitting element by aV pattern wheel whose V,axis is at right angles to the direction of slidingmovement thereof, it is highly advantageous to provide an opening spaced ashortV distance .from the shoulder on which the pattern Wheel operates so that, when the knittingelement is unselected, the ends of the teeth of the patternrwheel will, as they approach and leavethe knitting element, ,instead of exerting lateral pressure on the knittingelevment, .enter the opening, thus saving undue friction or p bending pressure on the sinker or other knittingelement.

I have also found that special arrangements lof elements v and of knitting stepsk arefof particular advantagefor the production of terry fabrics and for other purposes.'V

Withtheforegoing and other considerations in view,

A'the present invention contemplateszthe provision of im- .proved knitting mechanism, knitting methods,"and knit- 'ting elements. v

The invention', accordingly, comprises'app'aratus emlbodying the features of construction, combinations,` o1- x v'arrangements of parts, and the various steps andthe interrel'ation' thereof,` all as exemplified in the accompanying drawings and in the following detaileddisclosure, the

lv for `the machine in Fig, 9;`

"the operation of `a needle and `mation of fabric in Figs. 28-29;

-"scope oflthe applicationthereoflbeing'l indicated -in Athe 70 f v 2,893,226 faisais@ WYE .1259

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. ,N2 a Y For a fuller understanding .ofthe nature androbjec'ts'o'f the invention, reference shouldv bewhad to the following detailed description takenliconnection withl the drawings, inwhich: Y fp Figure l is a perspective view 'of one form of with the front of the fabric ontOp; Y l

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic front view of thefabric of fabric Fig. 1;

Fig;v `3 is la vertical 'sectional view of the fabric' along thelne 3,-3 of Fig. 2;

Figli `is a horizontal.sectiohalgview of the faerie tong the une 4-.4 of Fig 2;

v, Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofianother formof fabric; Fig. 6 is adiagrammatic front. view thereof ,y f Fig'. 7` isA a' verticalssectional view along the line '7E-,7

. Fig. 8 is a horiaontal sectional View `along the line SLS Fig. 9 is a rtransverse sectional View of a portion of` one form o f knitting machine embodying theV invention; 'p Fig. 9a isa detail' view of the needle-operating rearns Fig. 9b Vis another detail viewlike that lof Fig.' 9a; Fig. 9c shows the needle-actuating cams of Figs."9, 9d, `and '9b in'ele'vation;` i f Fig. 10a iS a diagrammatic View illustrating a step'n sinker in the formation of the fabric of Figs. 5 8; i l Fig.' 10b is a similar view illustrating a corresponding step inthe operation ofan adjacent needle and s'inker;

' Figs lla'and `1 lb are similar views of a later stage of the operation; j M v Figs. 12a and 12b'are similar views of alater stage of the operation; p p Y' Figs. 13a and 13b are similar views of a later stage. of

Fig. 14a isa similar view of a later stage of the operation;

` Fig.` 15ais a similar View of a later stage of theoperation;

Figs. 16a and 16'b are similar views of a later stage of the operation;

Figs. 17a and l`17blare similar views of a later the operation; p

Figs.` 18a and 181: are similar views of a later stageof the operation;

Fig.` 19 is a transverse sectional view of a portion 'of another form of knitting machine embodying the invenstagef. of

vtion and kadapted to produce the fabric of Figs. 5-8; 50

Fig. 20 is a diagrammatic front View of another form of fabric; i Fig; 21 is a horizontal sectional view along the kline 21.-21 ofFig. 20;

Figs; 22-26 are diagrammaticl views illustrating Vrespectively successive steps in the' formation of thefab'r'c of Figs. 20-21 on a machine of the character exemplitied in Fig. 9; y g .l

Fig. 27 is a diagrammatic front view' yof another, form of fabric; v i .V

Fig. 28 is a horizo' tal sectional view along the line YZtl-28 of Fig. 27; n

` Fig. 29 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a'rnodified form of sinkerand a step in the use thereof in the for- Fig. '30 shows a later step; Fig. 31 showsa later step;

Fig. 32 shows a later step;

Fig.v33 shows a later step;`

Fig. 34 shows a later step; v

Fig. 35 shows a' later step;

Fig. lid-'shows a later st ep'; l 1|' e Fig. 1-37 vshowsalater step;

Fig. 38 is a front view of still another form of fabric;

Fig. 39 is a horizontal sectional view along the line 39-39 of Fig. 38;

Fig. 40 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a step in the formation of the fabric of Figs. 38-39 on a machine of the character exemplified in Fig. 9;

Fig. 41 shows a later step;

Fig. 42 shows a later step;

Fig. 43 shows a later step;

Fig. 44 `shows a later step;

Fig. 45 is a diagrammatic rear view of one form of design fabric;

Fig. 46 is a transverse sectional ViewV of a portion of a form of machine similar to that of Fig. 9 arranged for selective sinker operation;

Fig. 47 is a top view of the portion shown in Fig. 46;

Figs. `47a and 47b are detail views showing needles and sinkers in two different positions in the machine of Fig. 46;

Fig. 48 is a transverse Asectional view of another form of machine similar to that of Fig. 9 arranged for selective sinker operation;

Fig. 49 is a schematic view of another form of design fabric;

Fig. 50 is a schematic sectional view along the horizontal center line thereof;

Fig. 51 is a schematic view of still another form of design fabric;

Fig. 52 is a schematic sectional view along the horizontal center line thereof;

Fig. 53 is a schematic view of a further form of design fabric;

Fig. 54 is a schematic sectional view along the horizontal center line thereof; and,

Fig. 55 is a side view of another form of sinker embodying the invention in one of its aspects.

In Figs. 1-4 thereY is exemplified one form of terry fabric which can be produced in accordance with the invention. This fabric comprises yarn 10 which is jerseyknit into a base fabric, terry yarn 11 which is caught between the needle loops in one row and the sinker loops in an adjacent row in alternate wales, and additional terry yarn 12 which is worked into the fabric by having sinker terry loops 13 drawn out at the front of the fabric between wales. The yarn 11 is drawn out into terry loops 14 at the back of the fabric between the wales in which it is caught. As exemplilied, the yarn 11 is caught in different wales in different rows, being caught in the oddnumbered wales of every other row and the even-numbered wales of intervening rows in the present instance.

In the form of fabric shown in Figs. -8, a yarn 20 is jersey-knit into a base fabric, a yarn 21 is plated therewith but is drawn out into sinker terry loops 23 at the back of the fabric, and a yarn 22 is caught into the fabric in alternate wales between needle loops in one row and sinker loops in an adjacent row, and is drawn out between these wales to provide terry loops 24 at the front of the fabric.

In Figs. 9, 9a and 9b, there is exemplified a form of knitting machine embodying the invention and adapted for use in the production of the fabric of Figs. 1 and 5. As will be seen from Fig. 9, this machine comprises a needle cylinder 100 which, in the present instance is stationary and about which revolves a cam ring 102. The cylinder is formed with slots 105 in which latch needles 106 are slidably mounted. Some of the needles are formed with short, wide butts 107a and others with long narrow butts 107b. Each needle has a shoulder 108 formed in the shank a short distance below the open latch.

Carried on the cylinder is a sinker bed 109 on which special terry sinkers 110 are mounted for sliding movement pursuant to the rotation of a sinker cam ring 111. The sinkers are formed with butts 112 and the sinker cam ring is formed with a plurality of cams for moving all the sinkers in and out in known manner, including a retracting cam 118 shown in Fig. 9. Each of the sinkers is formed with a plurality of yarn-receiving throats in the form of notches or slots (three in the present instance)-main slot 120, an upper (terry) slot 121, and a lower (terry) slot 122. It is to be noted that the slot 120 is considerably deeper than the slots 121 and 122. As shown at 122', the slot 120 dips downwardly toward the rear so that, as the sinker advances, a yarn received by this slot will be drawn down to a lower level and will form a comparatively short loop, as for the fabric loops, while yarn received by the slots 121 and 122 will form longer loops, as for the terry loops.

There is mounted on the cylinder a fabric-lift element 125. This fabric-lift element 125 maintains the fabric at about the level of the lower horizontal edge of the slot 120, which is the normal fabric level. The fabric-lift element is, in the present instance, formed on a ring 123 the upper portion of which is slotted to guide the inner end of the sinkers, and which forms an annular rim 126 serving to retain the cylinder inserts 127 which provide the needle slots 105 therebetween. Screws 128 secure the ring 123 in place.

In order to feed yarn to the needles, there are provided three yarn feeds, (see Figs. 10a to 18a, and 10b to 18h)- a yarn feed 130 whereby body yarn such, for example, as the yarn 20, may be fed at the normal level of slot 120 in the present instance, a yarn feed 131 whereby yarn such as the terry yarn 21 may be fed on the level of the slot 121, and a yarn feed 132 whereby yarn such as the terry yarn 22 may be fed on the level of slot 122. The sinkers are formed With recessed upper surfaces at their inward portion, being cut low as at 133 to facilitate passage of the yarn feed 132.

As is shown particularly in Figs. 9, 9a, and 9b, the cam ring 102 carries cams 13511 and 13511 for raising needles with butts 107a and 107b, respectively, to two different levels; a cam 13611 for lowering the butts 107a a short distance; a cam 13711 for again raising the butts 107a; a cam 138 for thereafter lowering both types of needles and cams 13911 and 139b for retracting all needles to knitting position.

For the sequential operation of .',he mechanism of Fig. 9 for the formation of a fabric such as shown in Fig. 5, reference may be made to Figs. 10a to 18a which show successive stages in the operation of a needle 10611 and an associated sinker 110 in the knitting of the oddnumbered wales in which the yarn 22 is caught, and to Figs. 10b to l8b which show corresponding stages in the operation of a needle 106b and an associated sinker 110 in the knitting of the even-numbered wales. The needles 106:1 for the odd-numbered wales have the short wide butts 107a, and the intermediate needles 106b have the long narrow butts 107b. It should be understood the two types of needles may be arranged in larger alternating groups with the same or a different number of needles therein.

In Figs. 10a and 10b, the needles 10611 and 10611 are in fully retracted position having been retracted by cams 13911 and 139b to form the plated loops of main yarn 20 and rear yarn 21 in combination with the rear terry loop 23 and front terry loop 24. In Figs. lla and 1lb, the sinkers have been advanced, needle 10611 has been raised to an intermediate position by cam 135e, needle 10611 has been raised to clearing position by cam 135b, and the new loops have been raised to normal fabric level by the upward movement of the needles. ln Figs. 12a and 12b, the front yarn 22 is being fed by yarn carrier 132 over the low cut edge 133 of the sinker slot 122, the sinkers being partly retracted. In Figs. 13a and l3b, the sinkers have been advanced to force the front yarn inside the needle row by the bottom of slot 122. In Fig. 14a, needle 10611 is shown slightly lowered as by cam 13511 to pass the front yarn over the hook so that in Fig. 15a the needle may be raised outside the front yarn into casting position by cam 137a. Thus, as shown in Figs. 16a and 16h, the front yarn, for the purpose of being inlaid in the fabric as shown in Fig. 5, lies alternately inside and outside the needles and above and below the last formed loops, respectively, when the main yarn carrier 130 passes. The sinkers have again been retracted to permit the carrier 130 to pass and feed yarn over the horizontal edge of slot 120, and the needles have been lowered sufficiently to permit the yarn to be fed above the tip of the open latch. In Figs. 17a and 17b, the sinkers have been advanced to permit yarn carrier 131 to feed rear yarn 21 to the slot 121. In Figs. 18a and 18b, the sinkers have continued their inward movement to tighten the back yarn 21 in slots 121 and the main yarn in slots 120, so that the needles may be lowered to knitting position by cams 139a and 139b, as shown in Figs. 10a and 10b, while the sinkers continue their inward movements, thereby forming a normal length fabric loop and longer back loops and front loops, the length of the three sinker loops being determined simultaneously by the relative locations of the bottoms of the slots 121, 120, 122 with respect to the retracted needle hook.

The form of construction exemplified in Fig. 19 is, except as hereafter indicated, generally similar to that of Fig. 9, similar parts being indicated by similar reference numerals distinguished by the sub-script a.

It is to be appreciated, of course, that many of the arrangements exemplified heretofore and hereafter are interchangeable, and that, because a particular form of mechanism is shown in one form of construction, it is no less applicable to other forms of construction.

In this form of construction, the fixed fabric-lift element 125 is omitted, but the sinkers 110a are formed with recessed upper surfaces at their inward portions, being cut low at 150 leaving humps 151 on their inner ends Ithe tops of which are at the normal fabric level. The hollowed-out portion provides space for the front terry yarn to be fed under the fabric, and to insure that it gets into a lower throat 122a. The weight of the hanging fabric draws that portion of the fabric which lies above the sinkers taut so that it is maintained on the level of the horizontal edge of the middle slot 120a. Only certain of the sinkers in the present instance are formed 'with short butts 112a, and other of the sinkers are formed with long butts 112b. Cams 117a and 117b are provided for advancing the sinkers with short and long butts respectively. In this manner, yarn such as 21 may be formed into sinker terry loops as at 23 at those points where the sinkers have long butts 112b but will not have terry loops formed therein at points where the sinkers have short butts 112a.

In the form of fabric shown in Figs. 20-2l, main yarn 170 is knit into jersey-loops, rear terry yarn 171 is plated therewith in the needle loops, and drawn out into rear sinker terry loops as at 173, and terry yarn 172 extends around the needle loops and is drawn out into front sinker loops as at 174.

l 'Such a fabric may be formed by the use of sinkers 110e and other mechanism of the general character exemplified in Fig. 9 except that the usual type of needles, without shoulders 108, are employed. Means to hold the fabric on a normal level are provided. Such means may comprise an annulus 125 as exemplified in Fig. 9. But, as exemplified, the sinkers have hollowed-out portions 150e and humps 151e forwardly thereof, as shown in Fig. 19. The sinkers in the present instance are provided with a lower slot 122e and a slot 120e above it. The slot 120e dips ldownwardly at the rear as shown at 177.

fr In the formation of the fabric of Figs. 20-21, a front terry yarn 172 (see Fig. 22), which has been fed by a yarn feed as it passes thru the hollow 150, is entering the slot 122C. As shown in Fig. 23, a main yarn 170 is entering the slot 120e, the sinkers having advanced so that the yarn 172 is held within the slot 122e. As shown in Fig. 24, rear terry yarn 171 is shown above the sinker,

the'sinker having been advanced so as to draw out loops of the front yarn 172, and to move the main yarn down into the dip 177 of the slot 120e. As shown in Fig. 25, the needle has been retracted, drawing out loops of the yarn 171 over the top of the sinker and knitting loops of the main yarn 170 and rear terry yarn 171. As shown in Fig. 26, the needle has been advanced so that the previously formed loops have cleared its latch.

In the form of fabric exemplified in Figs. 27-28, there is provided main yarn wherewith back yarn 191 is knit in alternate courses and drawn out to provide rear terry loops 193, and wherewith front yarn 192 is incorporated in the intermediate courses and is drawn out to provide front terry loops 194.

In Figs. 29-37 there is exemplied a modified form of sinker and needle and a manner of formation of the fabric of Figs. 27-28 thereon. The needles 106d are formed with a wide shank terminating in a shoulder 108:1, and the sinkers 110:1 have notches 197 serving the purpose of the dips 177 enabling the upper nib and the major portion of the upper throat of the sinker to be dispensed with.

In Fig. 29 the needle is shown raised. It is to be observed that the shoulder 108d has lifted the fabric loops to a level above the nib 199 of the sinker. A front yarn 192 is shown as it is fed in line with the sinker throat 122a. As shown in Fig. 30, the sinker has moved forward to bring the nib 199 between the fabric loops and the yarn 192. As shown in Fig. 3l, the needle is moving downwardly so as to catch in its hook a main yarn 190 which has just been fed. In Fig. 32, the needle is shown fully retracted. The fabric loops extend into the notch 197 and the new loops of the main yarn 190 extends between the bottom of this notch and the hook of the needle. Terry loops 194 are being drawn out by the sinker. The needle is then advanced again to clearing position, as shown in Fig. 33, and the sinker withdrawn for the introduction of a main yarn 190 at a lower level in line with the throat 122d, as shown in Fig. 34, the needle having been retracted slightly to bring the tip of the latch below this level. It will be noted that the fabric loops in this instance are at this level rather than at the upper level in which they are shown in Figs. 31, 32, and 33. The sinker is then advanced, and a rear yarn 191 is then introduced on an upper level as shown in Fig. 35. The advance of the sinker at this time is halted at a point such that, as shown in Fig. 36, terry loops 193 will be drawn out over the nib 199 of the sinker instead of being seated in the notch 197 as was the main yarn in Fig. 32. Fig. 37 shows the needle moving up and the sinker moving back to the position of Fig. 29.

In the form of fabric exemplified in Figs. 38-39, main yarn 200 is knit to form jersey loops, rear terry yarn 201 is plated therewith and drawn out into terry loops 203, front terry yarn 202 is, in the present instance, also plated therewith and is drawn out to form front terry loops 204.

A manner of forming the fabric of Figs. 38-39 by mechanism of the general character exemplified in Fig. 9 and including sinkers 110e is shown in Figs. 40-44. The needle is moved to fully-advanced position and then partially retracted so that the fabric loop is under the latch. As shown in Fig. 40, the front yarn 202 is fed above the tip of the latch in line with the throat 122e. As the sinker moves forward, its nib 199e moves under the fabric supported by the hump 151e, and a main yarn 200 is fed above this nib as shown in Fig. 4l. Fig. 42 shows the main yarn 200 seated in the dip 177e, the front yarn 202 drawn out to form a sinker terry loop 204, and the back yarn 201 being fed beneath the needle hooks. In Fig. 43, the needle is shown fully retracted with all three newly introduced yarns pulled thru the old loops. The terry loops 203 and 204 are still on the sinker. In Fig. 44, the needle is shown fully advanced, and the sinker ready to be retracted to the position in Fig. 40.

In Fig. 4 5 there is shown a form of fabric similar to that of Fig. 38 except that the front yarn is plated in one course and the rear yarn in another course, and that the rear yarn is wrap yarn appearing only in a design portion of the fabric. As exemplified, main yarn 20S is knit into jersey loops, and front yarn 206 is plated therewith in alternate courses and is drawn out into sinker terry loops 207. A wrap yarn 288 is knit in one direction (forward) to form two plated loops 209 in a course intermediate two of the courses where the front yarn 206 is plated, and is drawn out into a rear terry loop 210. It is inlaid in the opposite direction, and is then knit in the forward direction to form four plated loops 211 in the next course but one, and is drawn out to form three rear terry loops 212; it is again inlaid in the opposite direction, and then knit in the forward direction to form six plated loops 213 in the next row but one, and is drawn out to form live rear terry loops 214. `ln this manner, one end of a diamond-shaped design, the apex of a triangular design, the head of a spear, or the like, can be formed in terry design yarn. Control of the needles to form such designs may be eifectuated in any well known or suitable manner.

Sinker control for the formation of this and other terry design fabrics may be ettectuated by the use of mechanism such as yshown in Figs. 46, 47, 47a, 47b, and 48. The mechanism as exemplified is similar to that shown in Fig. 9 except that one or more pattern wheels 220 are provided for the selective control of the deposit of a yarn in either of two sinker slots, for example, slots 120]c and 121i.

When the sinker is selectively moved forward, as shown in full lines in Fig. 46, the rear yarn 21 will be fed into the slot 121f so that, when the sinker is further advanced, a terry loop will be formed, as indicated at Fig. 47a; Whereas, when the sinker remains in its retracted position, the rear yarn can be drawn down into the main yarn slot 120)c so that it will be plated with the main yarn loops. The pattern wheel is formed with the usual teeth 222 which mesh with edges 223 on the body of the sinkers for rotation of the wheel. At desired points, inserts 22S may be provided to selectively advance the sinkers. In order to permit the pattern wheel to engage and operate the sinkers without danger of breakage to either the teeth or the sinkers even in fairly line-gage machines, the sinkers lltlf are, pursuant to the invention, formed with cut-out portions 226 just inwardly of the edges 223 at the points where the teeth would otherwise tend to bear against the sinkers as the teeth begin to mesh with or to leave the sinkers. The cut-out portions 226 have a length slightly greater than the width of the teeth.Y

Instead of providing a pattern wheel 22d meshing with edge portions 223 on the body of the sinkers, there may be employed a similar pattern wheel 220g meshing with edge portions 223g on the tails of the sinkers as shown in Fig. 48. ln this instance, cut-out portions 226g are provided just inwardly of the edges 223g.

Other design effects may be obtained by forming yarn into terry loops in certain of the portions in which 1t appears and leaving it unknit in other of those portions. One form of such fabric is exemplified in Figs. 49 and 50 wherein there is provided background yarn 235 and wrap terry yarn 236 which may be incorporated into design portions in a manner generally similar to the manner in which the yarn 298 was incorporated into the fabric in Fig. 45. ln Figs. 49 and 50, however, the yarn 236 is drawn into terry loops 237 only in an annular design portion 235 and is knit into jersey loops 239 in a central circular portion 240. in the portion 238 the main yarn 23S is knit and the yarn 236 plated therewith, but in the portion 24d the yarn 235 is inlaid.

The terry yarn, instead of being knit in the portion in which it is not drawn into terry loops, may itself be inlaid as exemplified in Figs. l and 52. Here background yarn 245 -is knit thruout the fabric, the wrap yarn 246 is drawn into terry loops 247 in an annular portion 248,

and is inlaid, as indicated at 249, in a central circular portion 250. Y

Other variants will be apparent. In Figs. 53 and 54, there is shown a form of fabric wherein a background yarn 255 is knit outside the design portion and in a central circular portion 260. A wrap terry yarn 261 is knit in an annular design portion 262 and the yarn 255 is inlaid therein, and the yarn 261 is carried thru the central Portion 260 of the fabric without being caught into it, being drawn into terry loops 263 therein.

Pursuant to the invention, a yarn-receiving throat in the form of a notch in the top surface may, in various types of sinkers, serve instead of an upper nib and elongated throat. One such sinker is shown in Fig. 55. In this sinker, the cut-down portion and the hump are omitted, and the upper surface of the forward portion extends horizontally. The upper surface of the middle portion of the sinker is formed with a notch 197k which is utilizable similarly to the notch 197.

Since certain changes may be made in the above constructions and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the acompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A knitting machine comprising a row of needles, a row of sinkers having yarn-receiving throats on a plurality of levels, means to feed yarn on one of said levels, means to feed yarn on a lower of said levels, coordinated sinker-operating means and needle-operating means for actuating said sinkers to receive yarn in the throat on the level on which it is fed and to draw out the lower yarn to the front of a fabric being formed, and for manipulating said sinkers and needles to incorporate the yarn into a fabric, and means to support a fabric at a level above said lower level at least during the feeding and reception of yarn fed at said lower of said levels.

2. A knitting machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said throats are of different depth with respect to a line transverse of the sinkers, the rear end of a lower one of said throats being forward of the rear end of an upper one of said throats.

3. A knitting machine as set forth in claim l wherein there are provided means to feed yarn on a third level.

4. A knitting machine comprising a needle bed, a row of needles, sinkers having upper and lower yarn-receiving throats, means to feed front terry yarn at a given level for reception by said lower throat, means to feed -body yarn at a higher level for reception by said upper throat, and means to support fabric above said given level at least when the first-mentioned yarn-feeding means is operative.

5. A knitting machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein the supporting means is on the sinkers.

6. A knitting machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein the supporting means is on the needles.

7. A knitting machine as set forth in claim 6 wherein cach needle is formed to provide a transverse shoulder below `the bottom of the latch.

8. A knitting machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein the supporting means is on the needle bed. Y

9. A knitting machine as set forth in claim 8 whereinv the needle bed is in the form of a cylinder and said supporting means is on the top of the cylinder and spaced inwardly of the needles.

l0. A knitting machine as set forth in claim 9 wherein the supporting means comprises an annular rim.

ll. A knitting machine comprising a needle bed, a row of needles, sinkers having deep yarn-receiving throats on a normal level and terry yarn-receiving throats of less depth on a lower level, and means `to support fabric on a higher lever than the level of the last-mentioned throats.

l2. A knitting machine comprising Va row of needles, a row' of sinkers, a main yarn feed, a lower yarn feed for a front terry yarn, said sinkers having yarn-receiving throats with forward openings which span the level of said lower yarn feed and being formed with forward upper surfaces recessed forwardly of said throats to a level lower than said openings to facilitate the passage of said lower yarn feed, and means to manipulate said needles and said sinkers to form a terry fabric.

13. A sinker having upper and lower yarn-receiving throats and a nib above said lower throat, and having an upper surface disposed forwardly of said throats and formed with a recess at a portion forwardly of said lower throat and of said nib.

14. A sink'er comprising a nib, a short yarn-receiving throat below the nib, and a downwardly, extending yarnreceiving throat in the surface above the nib at a point further out than the outer end of said short throat.

15. A sinker comprising a nib, a short yarn-receiving throat below the nib, and a downwardly-extending yarnreceiving throat in the surface above the nib at a point further out than the outer end of said short throat, and a recessed upper surface at a point forwardly of said short throat.

16. A sinker having a plurality of yarn-receiving slots, the upper one of said slots having a downwardly-extending end at a point outwardly of the lower of said slots.

17. The method of knitting terry cloth which comprises knitting -body loops substantially vertically, drawing out back terry loops substantially vertically, and drawing out front terry loops substantially horizontally.

18. 'Ihe method of knitting terry cloth on a row of vertical knitting needles which comprises feeding body yarn on one level, feeding back terry yarn on an upper level, feeding front terry yarn on a lower level, drawing out the front terry yarn and the back terry yarn into terry loops, and incorporating the yarns into a fabric.

19. The method of knitting terry cloth on a row of vertical knitting needles which comprises feeding body yarn on one level, feeding back terry yarn on an upper level, feeding front terry yarn on a lower level, drawing out back terry loops vertically, drawing out front terry loops horizontally, and knitting loops of body yarn vertically.

20. The method of forming terry cloth which comprises forming a fabric on a row of vertical knitting needles, advancing the needles and lifting the fabric, introducing a front terry yarn below the level of the fabric, drawing out the front terry yarn below the fabric, introducing a body yarn to the needles, and retracting the needles.

2l. The method of forming terry cloth which comprises forrning a fabric on a row of vertical knitting needles, advancing the needles and lifting the fabric, introducing a front terry yarn below the level of the fabric, drawing out the front terry yarn below the fabric, introducing a body yarn to the needles, partially advancing the needles, introducing a back terry yarn to the needles, retracting the needles to draw out loops of the back terry yarn, and repeating the aforesaid operations.

22. The method of forming terry cloth on a row of Vertical knitting needles which comprises feeding body yarn on one level, feeding front terry yarn on a lower level, drawing out the front terry yarn to project forwardly, and knitting the body yarn.

23. The method of forming terry cloth on a row of vertical knitting needles which comprises feeding a body yarn on one level and forming it into knitted loops, feeding a back terry yarn on an upper level and drawing it out to form back terry loops at least during certain portions of the operation, and feeding a front terry yarn on a lower level and drawing it out to form front terry loops at least during certain portions of the operation, and incorporating the yarns into a fabric.

24. The method of forming terry cloth which comprises forming a fabric on a row of vertical knitting needles, feeding a front terry yarn outside of said row at a low level while maintaining the fabric at a higher level, feeding a body yarn at a level above said low level, and incorporating said yarns in a fabric.

25. The method of forming terry cloth on a row of vertical knitting needles which comprises feeding a body yarn at a given level and knitting the same into a fabric, feeding front terry yarn at a lower level and drawing it out forwardly, and supporting the fabric at a level above said lower level at least during the feeding and drawing out of said front terry yarn.

26. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the back terry loops are drawn out only in selected portions of the fabric.

27. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the front terry loops are drawn out only in selected portions of the fabric.

28. A knitting machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein said supporting means is operative temporarily when the first-mentioned yarn-feeding means is operative.

29. A sinker having a yarn-receiving throat and being formed with an upper surface recessed forwardly of the open end of said throat and elevated further forwardly to a level above the open end of said throat.

30. The method of forming terry cloth on a knitting machine having a row of independent needles and cooperating sinkers provided with throats on a plurality of levels, which comprise cooperatively manipulating the needles and sinkers, including the drawing of front terry yarn by the sinkers to a position inwardly of the row of needles, to incorporate yarns into a fabric, and wherein a front terry yarn is fed from a position outside the row of needles to lower throats of sinkers, while supporting the fabric above said lower throats, when the sinkers are in a position such that the open ends of said lower throats are outside the row of needles, and a body yarn is fed to the needles from a position outside of the row of needles when the sinkers are in a position such that the open ends of said lower throats extend inwardly of the row of needles and the open ends of upper throats are outside the row of needles.

31. A method as set forth in claim 30 wherein a back terry yarn is fed to still higher throats of the sinkers when they are in a third position.

32. A method as set forth in claim 31 wherein the sinkers are disposed at still another position at certain stages of the operation.

33. A method as set forth in claim 30 wherein the sinkers are advanced and retracted to varying extents.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,790,832 OLena Feb. 3, 1931 1,805,339 McAdams May 12, 1931 1,897,130 Lawson et al Feb. 14, 1933 2,080,377 Nebel May 11, 1937 2,098,446 Agulnek Nov. 9, 1937 2,192,969 Frank Mar. 12, 1940 2,320,989 Weinberg June 8, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,070,543 France Feb. 24, 1954 

